Shana, Thank you for bravely reaching out on behalf of your family member. While I am not aware of trauma-focused living situations, I am wondering if your relative has discovered the book, The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk? This is not to indicate that the situation isn't more complex, it is just that many people have had ah-ha's from this and other books. Here is a bit of information regarding this particular book:
From an Amazon description:
The Body Keeps the Score is, simply put, brilliant.” “The Body Keeps the Score articulates new and better therapies for toxic stress based on a deep understanding of the effects of trauma on brain development and attachment systems.
From another reviewer: Source of review
A pioneering researcher and one of the world’s foremost experts on traumatic stress offers a bold new paradigm for healing.
Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Such experiences inevitably leave traces on minds, emotions, and even on biology. Sadly, trauma sufferers frequently pass on their stress to their partners and children.
Renowned trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he transforms our understanding of traumatic stress, revealing how it literally rearranges the brain’s wiring—specifically areas dedicated to pleasure, engagement, control, and trust. He shows how these areas can be reactivated through innovative treatments including neurofeedback, mindfulness techniques, play, yoga, and other therapies. Based on Dr. van der Kolk’s own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score offers proven alternatives to drugs and talk therapy—and a way to reclaim lives.
Shana, if you or your relative have not yet participated in the ACEs Connection "Better Normal" series, please consider watching the archived conversations. And, please consider RSVP'ing to participate in the next conversation that will include Dr. Gabor Mate (see description and link below).
Link to: Better Normal conversation with Dr. Gabor Mate and others.
Learn more at www.DrGaborMate.com.
I hope this is useful information and that you are able to find some of the supports you are seeking.
Karen Clemmer